Francis is a name of Latin origin, derived from the word "franciscus," which means "free" or "French." It was originally used as an adjective to describe someone who was free-born, as opposed to a slave. The name Francis gained popularity during the Middle Ages through the influence of St. Francis of Assisi, an Italian friar and preacher who lived in the 13th century. He is known for his teachings on peace, poverty, and simplicity, and his love for nature and animals. Due to his saintly status and widespread veneration, many people chose to name their children after him. Today, Francis remains a popular given name for boys in various cultures around the world.
The statistics provided show the annual number of births with the name Francis in the United States from 1880 to 2023. Over this period of nearly 145 years, there have been significant fluctuations in the popularity of the name Francis.
In the late 19th century and early 20th century, the name Francis was quite popular, with over 1000 births per year starting from around 1910. The peak was reached in 1917 with 6347 births. This popularity continued until the mid-1950s when the number of births started to decline steadily.
The decline in popularity continued through the latter half of the century, reaching a low point in the early 21st century with fewer than 100 births per year between 2004 and 2011. However, since then there has been a resurgence in popularity, with over 600 births per year recorded from 2015 to 2023.
Overall, the total number of births with the name Francis in the United States from 1880 to 2023 is 289012. These statistics demonstrate how the popularity of names can fluctuate over time, influenced by various social and cultural factors.